26 NOVEMBER 1918
MEMO FROM BRYUKHANOV.

Vladimir Ilyich! Today the newspaper "Evening News" published a decree of the Presidium of the Moscow Soviet of People's Commissars concerning the pudniks.¹ As you know, under the Commissariat of Food Supply there operates an elected workers' commission that considers all claims from dissatisfied workers' organizations. If someone has procured supplies, we satisfy them in full; if someone has not procured supplies due to circumstances beyond their control, but traveled anyway, spent money, etc., we satisfy them partially. If someone merely obtained the right to travel, but did nothing or almost nothing else—we refuse. We absolutely do not permit loading at local sites; we provide supplies from reserves here.

The Moscow Presidium has 1) graciously permitted loading at local sites, 2) declared the right of all dissatisfied parties to satisfaction at the expense of the Food Commissariat.

I request that you place the question of the revocation of the Presidium of the Soviet's decree before the Council of People's Commissars outside of the regular order.

N. Bryukhanov.

P.S. If it is necessary to call Kamenev, you must telephone immediately. But the decree must be emergency. Otherwise, after Moscow, Petrograd, Vladimir and so forth will follow suit, and an inconceivable confusion will result.

LENIN'S REPLY.

Kamenev is in the Presidium of the Central Executive Committee. Take the floor on a point of order and get in touch with Kamenev.

¹ *Note: The memo is written on a small piece of paper in red ink. — Editor.*